this is for the first time we are seeing james holmes. >> there is a video freeze frame of the suspect james holmes. >> seemed especially lethargic, nonresponsive. >> maybe an act. >> doesn't seem any effort. >> didn't focus his eyes at all. >> and a nation. >> people say it's bad politics to address the issue. i think they are wrong. i'm going to try to stir it up and so is everybody else. >> to think gun control or increased gun control is the answer in my view, that would have to be proved. >> eighteen months since arizona. when are you going to do this. >> weapons of war don't belong on the streets. >> i want to get you straight out to the west coast where the attorney for the holmes family, his parents, james's parents, is beginning a press conference in san diego. let's listen.

>> a bit different from the process in california. here in california if someone is arrested for a crime such as murder, the district attorney's office first files a complaint alleging what the charges are and then files a complaint. the first court appearance is an arraignment where the accused enters a plea of not guilty and thereafter a preliminary hearing takes place where the court has to look at what evidence the prosecution has and make a determination whether there's probable cause to believe, number one, a crime was committed, and number two, that this person committed this crime. if there's sufficient evidence to hold the person to the charg

charges. if there's sufficient evidence, it begins with an arraignment and another trial. in colorado the initial appearance is not the arraignment but an advisement upon return hearing. the defendant is told what his rights are. if charges have been filed, what those charges are. thereafter charges are filed by a preliminary hearing and ultimately a trial by jury. that's the process in colorado, as i understand it. again, the family wants to reiterate the hearts good out to their victims and families. the holmes family would like to maintain their privacy. so at this time we will not be

discussing james or his relationship to the family, and we would respect courtesy in that regard. so thank you very much for the ti time. [ inaudible ] >> no. >> can you describe -- [ inaudible ] >> they are doing as well as they can under the circumstances. >>. [ inaudible ] other than reports -- information about -- [ inaudible ] >> you know, we haven't been looking at all of the news reports, so i really can't comment on that. >> why has the family hired a criminal defense attorney. >> i can't comment on that either. criminal defense attorneys understand the system a lot better than civil attorneys. >> got these messages this

weekend or -- [ inaudible ] >> i'm sorry? >> these messages crafted were they done this weekend or after you saw them this morning? >> throughout the process. throughout. all through the weekend when i was getting calls. [ inaudible ] >> i really can't comment on that. >> on the back of the car, there's a bumper sticker, that links to a website about depression, addiction, self-abuse. clearly that was there before the shooting. can you tell me what that was about? >> i have no comment on that. >> [ inaudible ] >> i have no comments on their whereabouts. i don't think they would like the media to know where they are. >> can you tell us what their reaction was when they first

heard their son's name and how are they coping. >> i think arlene holmes statement clarifies that a bit as to how they reacted. >> in the statement she says she didn't know whether -- didn't know about the shooting. she has found out about the shooting, can you tell us about the reaction? >> i think everyone can imagine how they are feeling, anyone who has been a parent. >> [ inaudible ] >> possibly. possibly. >> do you think they will be getting offers? >> yes. >> considering -- >> not at this time. >> clarifying the fact that she -- it was reported she wasn't surprised. she seems to be attempting to clarify that. >> that's not exactly what she said. that's the interpretation the media were giving to that statement that somehow, oh, i'm

not surprised this is the person. that's not what she was saying. >> can you elaborate on that? was she surprised? >> i am not going to comment on that. >> tell us how you know them? >> i represent them. >> i understand that. how -- [ inaudible ] >> i was referred to them by another lawyer or they were referred to me by another lawyer. >> so how are they coping? >> as i said, as well as anyone could under the circumstances. >> back to the clarification what they meant to say. can you elaborate at all? she wants to make it clear she wasn't saying she wasn't surprised. >> that's her statement. she felt it was very important for everyone to understand the sequence of events, what he said, what she said and not misconstrue the situation. >> what about statements made by classmates or people around,

have they absorbed those? >> we really haven't been keeping track of everyone's statements. there's been a lot to deal with. we're not aware of the statements. it's hard to comment on such a general question. >> cooperate that criminal investigators -- [ inaudible ] -- an investigation ongoing right now. >> nobody from the aurora police department has attempted to contact us for any purpose. additionally there were other authorities here locally who we were talking to. >> there was a blue box, file box from the holmes house by the san diego police. is that evidence in the case? >> i didn't see the box, so i don't know.

i believe it was just personal items. >> do you know -- [ inaudible ] >> the fbi. >> did the family -- [ inaudible ] >> i don't understand that question. i'm a lawyer. objection, vague. >> nicely done. >> do i know the prosecutor? not personally, no. i've done work in colorado but in the federal system. >> how concerned is the family this may be a death case? >> we've been told that is highly likely that that's going to happen. >> how concerned are they? >> everyone is concerned. >> who told you? >> who told me what? >> there was going to be a death penalty case. >> nobody told me that. from what i know about the laws in colorado, because it is a

death penalty state. obviously is going to be murder one. with a murder one charge, that's when someone can be facing the death penalty. >>. [ inaudible ] -- the attorney representing mr. holmes. >> i'm in communication with them. >> are they concerned about their safety, personal safety? >> i have concerns about their safety? >> do they have concerns about safety? >> have james holmes partners accepted the fact their son has been charged correctly or accused at this time? >> we haven't really gotten that far because at this time no charges have been formally filed. >> have either -- [ inaudible ] >> i'm sorry? >> have either of the parents been -- >> i really can't comment on that.

>>. [ inaudible ] >> i'm sorry? >> -- relevant to the case? >> not closely. >> you said you're concern. is there any reason for your concern? >> no. i've had experience with, you know, cases that have this much attention. and so through my personal experience in dealing with those cases in the past, that's what causes me concern. >> can you comment about the many people who have known him, extremely shy, introverted, doesn't communicate well and shows he has some issues relating to other people. >> i don't know what specific statements you're referring to, so i can't comment on those. >> classmates. >> also, i'm not going to comment as to what the family's experience has been with james,

not at this time. sorry. >> what was your answer? >> to what. >> to the question. maybe if you step back. >> no. >> okay. >> what can you tell us about james? we've been hearing things about being very smart, friends. >> thank you for refreshing my memory on that question. i'm not sure what specific comments we have been referring to, because we have not been keeping up with everybody's statements, so i can't comment on those. the family has elected not to discuss james, or their relationship with james at this time. >>. [ inaudible ] -- now that more has come forward we know more about the victims, more about what

happens. what seems to be a premeditated sort of scenario, has it added anything regarding their statement as far as the victims? >> at this point in time, the investigation is continuing. whether or not it's premeditation or not premeditation is left to the court system. i don't know what everybody has been saying and what interviews have been going on with the investigation, so in it's p premature to make comments when the investigation is continuing. >> does anyone know -- [ inaudible ] >> i can't comment about james or the relationship between james and his family at this time. >> arlene was surprised when she heard about the shooting? >> i don't believe she said that in her statement that i read. i read the statement.

if you like i could read it again. but i'm not going to comment about how she was feeling at the time at this time. >> is the family concerned that they are seen as culpable by the public? >> i'm sorry? >> is the family concerned that they might be culpable by the public. >> i have not discussed that. >> do they stand by him? >> yes, they do. he's their son. >> spoken with -- [ inaudible ] >> i'm sorry? >> spoken with -- >> have i spoken with chris. yes. i really can't say anymore. >> have any of the victims and their families had contact with the family? >> not through me. >>. [ inaudible ]

>> i can't comment on that. >> [ inaudible ] >> james is being held there. >> no, his father. >> i'm not going to comment on the where abouts of the family. >> can you say whether james is or has been estranged with his family? >> i'm not going to comment about that. >> can you comment about the family's reaction to seeing him in court today, his appearance, his demeanor. how did they feel about -- what was their sense after they saw him? >> at some point in time, we might be able to discuss that. at this point in time, i think the family would like their privacy respected and don't want to talk about that. >> the statement once more. >> the statement? sure. certainly.

the statement is to clarify a statement made by abc media. i was awakened by a call from a reporter on july 20 about 5:45 a.m. i did not know anything about a shooting in aurora. he asked if i was arlene holmes and if my son was james holmes who lives in aurora, colorado. i answered, yes, you have the right person. i was referring to myself. i asked him to tell me why he was calling, and he told me about a shooting in aurora. he asked for a comment. i told him i could not comment because i did not know if the person he was talking about was my son, and i would need to find out. thanks very much. i will be accessible if anyone has any further questions. but that's pretty much all i can comment on at the present time. >>.

[ inaudible ] >> i'm sorry? >> the person -- >> yes, i've been asked to speak on behalf of the holmes family. i do not represent james holmes. >> who put you in touch, was it the lawyer, family friend? >> yes. it was someone through their church. >> will the family decision, psychiatric evaluation at this time -- >> i really can't comment on that. >> yesterday -- [ inaudible ] >> yes. >> responding to -- [ inaudible ] >> i can't comment on that. but the pastor there, i spoke with the pastor there, and it's amazing how much support they are getting from their church. it's a very good thing, i think. no, i'm not going to comment on

that now. at this point in time, they really want their privacy respected. that may change. but at this moment and this time, you know, they don't want to really talk about that. okay? >> thank you very much. >> thank you, everybody. >> we've been listening to lisa damiani, family spokesperson and attorney representing the parents of james holmes, again, in a press conference in san diego. the attorney there kind of clarifying the original statements that were represented in the media about abc news contacting the parents of james holmes on that fateful morning, talking about the fact that when she was contacted, the mother was contacted by an abc news representative, she said, yes, you have the right person, in reference to being asked if she was arlene holmes. lisa damiani tieses she's a

criminal attorney, focusing on white collar crime and fraud, you was put in touch by another attorney they know through their church. this was happening on the same day we have the first advisement hearing that took place for james holmes earlier today in arapahoe county. that's in aurora, colorado. he made his appearance with that bright orange red hair you see there with the public defender by his side. basically what came out of that is he will be formally charged next monday, coming up on monday at 9:30 a.m. aurora, colorado time. so 11:30 a.m. eastern time. mind you, a lot of people are paying attention to this, especially the president, who took some time less than an hour ago at a meeting of veterans of foreign wars to remember the servicemen who were killed in friday's tragedy. >> yesterday i conveyed a message to their families on behalf of all americans, we honor your loved ones.

we salute their service. and as you summon the strength to carry on and keep bright their legacy, we stand with you as one united american family. >> the official counsel is at 12 dead, 58 wounded, with nine still listed in critical condition. much remains unknown about why holmes would enter a new showing of the batman film dressed in body armor carrying assault rifle and a picture is emerging from months ago, making a recent online purchase of 6,000 rounds of ammunition. this tragedy in colorado has naturally reopened the conversation about gun control in america. joining us now is democratic congressman joseph crowley of new york. sir, it's good to have you with us today. a lot of questions swirling around this. one question whether washington has the political appetite to take on gun control.

i'd like to start with a sound bite from saturday. take a listen. >> are these massacres, horrible as they are, people looking for solutions, are they just a fact of life and death in america? >> i hate to say it but they probably are. >> sir, do you agree with them? is there nothing that can be done? is this what we have to accept in modern day america. >> first let me say on behalf of the people i represent in new york our thoughts and prayers are with the victims in aurora, colorado. the senator's statement, i guess we have to live with this, it will give a whole new meaning to the term night at the movies. the idea and notion that scores of people go out on an evening to see the premier of a new movie. unbeknownst to them there's someone there ready for a horrible act of violence,

maiming. that becomes an accepted part of culture and the way americans conduct their life i think is abhorrent. i think it really needs to be reviewed and revisited. i do think we should take this time. again, this predictable tragedy, almost, to begin again the dialogue, the discussion, conversation america has to have on the issue of gun violence and access to these types of weapons and the amounts of ammunition that this individual was able to obtain online. and doesn't that raise -- i know we're looking at this the day or two or three after. didn't that raise any flags with anyone that someone would order 6,000 rounds of ammunition? who orders that outside of the national guard, outside of the army, outside of the navy? i don't know. but that certainly would have sent up, i think, red flags for me if i was made aware of that. >> sir, as you say, this was a predictable tragedy. as we're having this

conversation 18 months after the fact gabrielle giffords was almost assassinated outside a safe way simply by holding a congress on your corner. are we to believe congress takes more seriously what happened in aurora than having one of their own almost assassinated 18 months ago and now something is going to be done? >> i think gabby giffords would have said this as well. she's no different than anyone else. she's a citizen of this country. i think she ought to be given the right to freely assemble without the fear of assault. let's go back further to columbine in colorado. let's go to virginia tech, tucson and now back again to colorado in aurora. i think the time is for a discussion. what it really shows, i think quite frankly, is the hold nra has on members of congress. when you look at the recent vote that took place here in the house to hold attorney general in contempt was scored, nro

holding members feet to fire if they voted against the motion to hold him in contempt, they would hold it against lawmakers. that's an enormous amount of power. i can't even connect the dots between the attorney general vote and gun ownership. >> sir, as we talk about this 18 month period as you reference back to gabby giffords and what we're living in, seeing two men with mental health issues obtain guns, massacre people. how do we get guns out of their hands? we live april time where it is harder to get a twelve-pack of claritin d than it is to get an assault weapon. >> i couldn't have said it better myself. the reality is as mayor bloomberg talked about as well, we need to not only have a dialogue and conversation, we need to do something about it before another -- it might happen again but it ought not happen again without us trying to do something about it. if there's a problem, we need to fix it. that's the local of congress, state legislators need to be involved.

mental health is an issue that needs to be dealt with. i said this after gabby's incident as well. this is not just about gun control or nra but also about mental illness. i suspect in this case as well. i don't know enough about the case yet to comment but it seems to me on its face that mr. holmes has some very serious issues. >> sir, shooting straight from the hip here, do you expect anything to change? >> it's my hope something at the very least we begin to have a discussion, a real discussion and not simply dismissing it as senator johnson did as if we can do nothing about it. we have the tools to do something about it. we had an assault weapons ban in place until 2004. it expired because congress failed to re-enact it. we need to put at least that back on the books. i don't know if it would have the impact on this case but simply saying we're not going to do anything about it, not discuss it, have a dialogue, that is disgusting. >> congressman, thank you for your time. i appreciate it. >> thank you, thomas.

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paris, france ? verizon's 4g lte devices are global-ready. plus, global data for just $25. only from verizon. welcome back. perhaps the most outspoken critic of the current stalemate on gun control, new york mayor michael bloomberg who chastised not just mitt romney but the president over the failure to not advance meaningful reform. >> he and governor romney have to tell the public what they are going to do. people say it's bad politics to address the issue. i think they are wrong. i'm going to try to stir it up, so is everybody else. you ask one of the families, is this the time to focus on how to keep their other children from getting killed, they would do it now. >> joining us political analyst, contributor and managing editor of the grio.com and jonathan capehart, msnbc contributor.

mitt romney talked at a fundraiser about the shooting. here is what he had to say about it. there will be a natural reaction to say what can be done about it? how can we prevent this? what can government do? in your mind, is that a leap or even appropriate tying his small government argument to a mass shooting. >> i think it's an appropriate time. it's ongoing appropriate time certainly after something like this to talk about what could have been done to prevent it. i don't think we should label that as politics so much as a revisiting of policy. in this case as you pointed out in the last segment, i go through this myself, buying sudafed d is harder -- they track it very carefully, yet this man was able to purchase guns and ammunition without bells going off. the other thing that concerns me when the conservative rhetoric focuses on smaller government and trying to protect rights. the hypocrisy, what about

protecting the right to vote. we hear a different argument when we hear about that constitutionally guaranteed right. the reality is this conversation is dominated by money and influence of nra and not by what is good policy. >> we talk about, jonathan, the assault rifle ban, weapons ban in 2004 in the brady campaign to prevent gun violence. the number of those guns traced to crime fell 66%. the numbers are there, the proof is there. why isn't the policy? jay carney even said no new measures are coming. >> we all know why the assault weapons ban was allowed to expire and why nothing has come in its place. it revolves around three letters, nra, national rifle association. to piggy back on something karen just said about the same people who, they are not worried about voting rights, they are worried about gun rights.

what about worrying about the people who are the victims of gun violence. i think that's where the frustration and dare say the anger is coming from when you hear mayor bloomberg say those tough words of criticism against president obama and presumptive republican nominee mitt romney. at some point someone is going to have to stand up and say, enough of the massacres, enough of the families being destroyed or turnafter part over gun violence. we must do something about this. >> the nra very effective in lobbying against gun laws it doesn't like. there are gun enthusiasts in the country, those that believe in the second amendment, that feel there is no need for people have access to assault weapons, deer and moose don't wear flak jackets for hunting. as jonathan points out families across the country, not just when we look at aurora but when we look at what happened in

tucson, ft. hood, all under the obama administration. the reach of horror and sadness from all the loss of life that has happened at just those three incidents, it's far reaching. why haven't those people been able to accumulate a wider, larger voice to combat something to see something get done. >> it's interesting, karen and jonathan talked about what's changed. you're exactly right. we have a history of responding to terrorist incidents with regulation. we're taking off our shoes at the airport and having to not bring liquid on a plane because the government reacted to terrorist incidents. this is by anyone's definition a terrorist incident. we stalled partly because of the republican party changed. i went back and looked at the roll call when it passed in 1983. you had eight republicans that voted for the assault weapons ban. it did not get filibustered, past 54-46 by what used to be a traditional majority. out of those eight republicans,

the only ones left, lincoln chaffee's of the world no longer in congress, the only senator that voted for that was dick lugar. that brand of republican willing to look at reasonable gun regulations isn't there anymore. >> when it comes to hay fever, the government is more interested in my weepy eyes than knowing if i'm buying 6,000 pounds of ammunition and having them shipped to my work. >> this is important. these are measures most people agree and the nra opposed. when you buy sudafed d, you give your driver's license, goes into a database. they track how much you buy and the amount you're buying every single time. this gentleman was able to purchase guns and ammunition and there's no database that allowed flags to go off to alert the local police. part of the reason, for example, the atf had been considering gun walking programs because, again, they are not allowed to track the guns. why? the nra fought so viciously

against any kind of national database or tracking system out of the quote, unquote, protection of second amendment rights. there's a place here, and this is another example, we have to balance those second amendment rights with the safety and security of our people. >> karen finy, joy, jonathan, my thanks to three of you. today's top lines, they are coming up. an accident doesn't have to slow you down. with better car replacement, if your car is totaled, we give you the money for a car one model year newer. liberty mutual auto insurance.

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to being a different kind of communications company by continuing to help you do more and focus on the things that matter to you. the end of the war in iraq and he ordered the raid that killed osama bin laden. in his quest for a second term president obama is sketching a broader agenda to win the votes of american veterans. >> with a million more troops rejoining civilian life ahead and looking for work, we have to step up our game at every stage of their careers. today i'm announcing a major overhaul of our transition assistance program.

we're going to set up a kind of reverse boot camp. >> the overall the president announced to vfw in reno is the first in 20 years to the program which helps vets with everything from job interviewing schedules to resume writing. after the speech he left on a three-day fundraising tour that will take him from the pacific northwest to new orleans. to kristen welker. the president on his own and first lady has made this strong pitch to the nation's veterans this year. the polling is mixed when we look at the success of that pitch. one gallop survey showed romney with a lead. another found the president out in front. how do the campaigns digest this to see things? >> you're absolutely right, thomas, these polls show conflicting information. if you talk to campaign officials, they will tell you they try for the to make too much of any given poll.

president obama, it's no secret his campaign knows they will have to fight hard when it comes to veteran voters. president obama lost the veteran vote back to john mccain in 2008, 54-44%. so you have seen him making a pitch to veteran voters, not just on days like today when he's speaking to the dfw but when he's traveled to key battleground states like virginia, like north carolina. his strategy seems to be to tout what he sees to be some of his strengths, including creating tax credits for companies that hire veterans, also calling on congress to create a veterans jobs corps as well as drawing down wars in iraq and afghanistan and capturing and killing osama bin laden. those are some of the themes we hear president obama reiterate when he speaks to some of those groups. as you mentioned he announced that transition gps program which will help veterans find work. as you know, thomas, mitt romney also going after the veteran

vote nothing it will make a big difference in the key battle ground states. he'll be here at the vfw tomorrow. he'll criticizes the president on his foreign policy and sequester cuts, cuts that will come to defense spending. certainly it's going to be a hard fought vote to get right through november. thomas. >> thanks to nbc's kristen welker traveling with the president in reno. thank you, again. back in new york joined in the studio by msnbc military analyst colonel jack jacobs. good to have you here. when we hear what the president is proposing today, this overhaul to help veterans with civilian life. employment data suggesting some room for improvement with disproportionately high rates of joblessness among vets. will the new initiatives help with veteran voerts, though? as kristen pointed out the big difference when they came out in '08 for john mccain.

>> it will. the younger ones who have recently left and having a hard time finding work and the ones about to leave, i think it's going to show a great deal of success between now and november before it's going to have -- and has to be publicized widely before it will have a positive impact on how many people -- how many veterans will be voting for the president. >> they have a new video, the president showing the initiative, announcement of it. also the president welcoming veterans home. take a listen. >> we need a president to bring service members home and help our country get back to where it needs to be. i think the person who can do that is president obama. >> all right. so they are talking about the president and his military accolades and the wars he inherited from the past administration. how does the sentiment of the veteran community look how the president handled it. >> it's really kind of interesting. as we know it's troops who hate

war more than anybody, feel the brunt of action on the battlefield and in the air and under the sea and elsewhere. but oddly, the fact is the majority of veterans perceive it is obama who is responsible, not just for getting us out of the war but also for having us -- making us lose influence overseas. they perceive a lot of what's happening in eastern mediterranean and southwest asia, the violence occurring is his fault because we're with drawing, reducing the size of the military despite the fact it was the congress who actually decided we would sequester if we didn't reduce expenditures. but the blame by the veterans cohort is on obama and he's going to have to do a lot more to convince veterans he's doing the right thing at a time when they perceive he's not. >> as we heard from kristen, the vfw will be hosting mitt romney tomorrow. this is a person who doesn't have foreign service, didn't

serve his foreign service truly limit freddie a governmental capacity. how do you think he's going to be received? >> probably lots better. the majority of veterans, the average age is much older. we have 20 million veterans in the country, many of whom vote, only a few are extremely young. don't forget we have very few people serving a very, very large country so the percentage of people who are veterans in the country who are young and who will spokened to this is very, very small. >> colonel jacobs, thank you for your time as always. as we go to break, a chilling photo, we've just obtained a booking photograph of colorado shooting suspect james holmes on his first appearance in court. take a look at this. the startling picture of his

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was friday's massacre really something that can't be explained or is it the all too predictable result of a society awash in firearms where there are more guns than people. joining us congressman moran from virginia. good to have you with us. we've learned a lot about the suspect, a lot today, especially the images that came out. much of all of it does call into question his mental health. folks want to know how we can keep guns out of the hands of such people. here is what one tea party favorite had to say about that. take a listen. >> you simply can't keep these weapons out of the hands of sick demented individuals who want to do harm. when you try and do it, you restrict our freedom. >> restrict our freedoms. congressman, do you agree with that? as americans we love our freedoms but does it mean we have to accept senseless violence, the murder of 12 people sitting in a movie

theater at its price. >> my son went to a movie theater at midnight. don't i have the freedom to know my son can go to a movie theater without gunfire threatening his life? what are we going to do, check everyone going into a movie theater, have a metal detector now. seems to me this is about freedom. it's the freedom to live securely and safely among our neighbors and friends and within an advanced society. either just stunning to me, thomas, that my colleagues are so soft on crime and domestic terrorism that they would allow even after the shooting of our colleague gabby giffords more than 60 multiple shootings since that crime occurred. and in fact, there are tens of thousands of americans have been murdered by firearms since the

massacre at virginia tech. it's all because basically we've -- legislative bodies around the country have been cast cass traited. >> some would argue maybe in an instance like this if more people were armed, they could have done something. >> you know, thomas, you're an intelligent individual that that's an insane, illogical conclusion. the fact is that this shooter had a bulletproof vest. it was a dark theater. do we really want people carrying firearms into the theater and having a gunfight at the okay coral in a darkened movie theater? that would cause more deaths. that's not the answer everyone have guns everywhere they go. can't we be safe in restaurants,

neighborhoods, movie theaters? that's going absolutely the wrong direction. i know the nra likes that because they can sell more weapons. at the very least, thomas, we should restrict assault weapons. the nra even accepted that until they realized they could get rid of it so easily. and we ought to close the gun show loophole, and we ought to restrict the accumulation of rounds of ammunition. i mean, 6,000 rounds of ammunition, really? and we shrug our shoulders? if this had been any kind of foreign agent, we'd send the marine corps after them. here we shrug our shoulders and come up with pious remorseful rhetoric, we ought to do something. we haven't done anything about this. to some extent we are complicit in these crimes if we don't

stand up and speak out and act responsibly as a legislative body in all levels of government. >> my thanks. congressman jim moran. thank you, appreciate it. stay with us. much more ahead. >> time for your business entrepreneur of the week, sherry williams wanted to offer customers a unique workout. she opened inner diva in austin introducing people to the poll dancing fitness phenomenon. it was a hit. she joined the poll fitness association which is working to get the sport into the 2016 olympics. for more watching your business at 6:30 on msnbc. [ kate ] many women may not be properly absorbing

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so despite insisting the campaign is about the economy mitt romney leaves tomorrow for a trip to poland, israel, why now? let's get to panel. an editor from grio.com and crystal ball, co-host. why take this trip now when mitt has been using the economy and the fact it's lit ae anemic right now as his best line of offense. >> i think it's a classic example of trying to go after the other person's strengths. the president in most polls has had double digit lead on mitt romney in terms of who is more trusted to handle foreign policy. it's unusual because typically republicans have been stronger

at least in the nation's eyes in foreign policy, terror. this president has had such a successful foreign policy he's turned the tables on that. i think romney who has basically no credentials in terms of foreign policy has to show he's speaking with foreign leaders understands the issue and would make a formidable commander in chief. >> would he go to israel and netanyahu and be critical of president obama. >> i think on this trip, what they said on tuesday when romney goes to vfw where romney attacks foreign policy, they signaled once he gets to the countries, goes to poland, he will not be attacking the president on foreign soil. i think they will be surprised if he does that. the trip is a good opportunity for romney to change the conversation like krystal said. he's not talking about bain or tax returns. originally designed to talk about his roll in the olympics

but also talk about anything else beyond what's happening with the u.s. he's been struggling in the last few weeks. >> isn't it a great opportunity to talk about his horse. >> the horse is coming up. it's a big deal. >> opens him up to those type of things. the trip is to look presidential so americans can imagine him heading up foreign policy and also to fund-raise. that's what his priority has been to fund-raise and hitting up ex pats for cash on the road as well. >> krystal ball. thanks to both of you. we'll be back with more after this. with the spark miles card from capital one,

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[ cheers and applause ] what's in your wallet? chances are, you're not made of money, so don't overpay for motorcycle insurance. geico, see how much you could save. before we go this afternoon, we want to begin share this chilling photo we've just obtained over the hour, the booking photo from arapahoe county sheriff's office from shooting suspect james holmes. it was released today upon his first appearance in court, the first advisement hearing. we saw him in court with hair dyed red and orange like we see in